Posted on 06/16/2005 5:57:20 PM PDT by txdoda
Garfield Sheriff Says Shooting Suspect Worked At Nearby Ranch
POSTED: 4:07 pm MDT June 16, 2005 UPDATED: 6:10 pm MDT June 16, 2005
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. -- Authorities said Thursday that they have a suspect in the recent shooting death of Qwest Communications executive Jeff Garrett.
"We have recovered the weapon, we have a witness, and we have a suspect," said Lou Vallario, the Garfield County Sheriff.
Vallario told reporters Thursday afternoon that investigators believe a Mexican national -- who has since reportedly fled to Mexico -- is responsible for the May 14 fatal shooting.
The suspect's name was not released.
Garrett died after being shot in the upper right chest while turkey hunting with two friends.
The shooting happened in the East Elk Creek area, north of New Castle, Colo. Garrett died on Bureau of Land Management property around 8,000 feet in elevation. Both friends were cleared in the shooting.
Vallario says the shooting suspect worked at the Bear Wallow Ranch just outside New Castle, near the area where Garrett was shot. A woman who answered the phone at the ranch said she was not aware of the case and declined comment.
Investigators said a co-worker of the suspect witnessed the shooting, and told them that the suspect knew what he had done before leaving the country. The co-worker reportedly told investigators that he was with the suspect when they heard turkey calls coming from heavy brush near the ranch perimeter and that the suspect fired in the direction of the calls, thinking they came from a turkey.
Garrett was dressed in full camouflage. Turkey hunters aren't required to wear blaze orange because turkeys have sharp eyesight and must be called to within shotgun range.
While only shotguns are allowed in the spring turkey hunt, Garrett was shot with a .22-caliber rifle.
The shooting is being treated as a homicide.
Garrett was an Aurora resident and worked as Qwest's assistant vice president for Colorado and a state lobbyist for the company. He is survived by his wife, Charlotte, and children Olivia, 3, and Adam, 1.
Charlotte attended Thursday's news conference in Glenwood Springs and said her husband's death was "devastating."
"Jeff was a thoughtful husband, a proud father, a loving son, a protective brother and, to many people, a funny and caring friend," she said.
U.S. Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Littleton) issued a statement in response to Thursday's news conference naming a Mexican national as the suspect in the shooting.
"It is shameful that illegal aliens can so easily cross our porous borders or overstay their visas with such impunity. It is tragic that an illegal alien can commit a murder in this country and evade American justice by slipping back across the border," his statement said in part.
Another Mexican national has been charged in the May 8 slaying of a Denver police officer and was arrested after fleeing to Mexico. Raul Gomez-Garcia is also accused of wounding a second police officer in the same shooting. The Denver District Attorney's Office is attempting to extradite Gomez-Garcia to face trial in Colorado.
just hire a mexican bounty hunter to shoot him in mexico.
that would save the time and trouble dealing with the mexican government, and save considerable money trying him here, not to mention the yearly costs of imprisoning him.
They're only doing crimes Americans won't do.
Knew he probably killed and then fled back to Sanctuary Mexico.
Didn't think I'd think like that a few years ago...but I do now.
crimes that even bl----
Hmmm.... maybe that's below the belt.
With an Illegal weapon too.
The shooting is being treated as a homicide.
Vicente won't care that it's homicide.
BTTT
Well, Al Gonzales, as the song says, "Your best isn't good enough."
Yep, just the two week man-hunt for the cop killer is going to cost TAXPAYERS bundle, then add on the trial & imprisonment.
Now it looks like CO has another illegal killer to hunt down, & pay for.
And fleeing the country & US justice as many American criminals can't do.
Great, isn't it ??.......We *allow* mexico to tell US how to sentence their criminals.
(proof that even illegal criminals have more U.S. *rights* than American criminals.)
As a demonstration of good will and friendliness, why doesn't they Colorado government run a free bus to Mexico to help illegal criminal Mexicans duck back to Mexico when they have committed a capital crime in Colorado? It would be the right thing to do. It will help on both directions, as well, because, once the Mexican government sells them their new official IDs, they'll come back. It would just be the right thing for Colorado to do!
Maybe we should tie Mexico's extradition refusal to a huge roundup of illegals. Just say, we're going to keep rounding these illegals up and sending them back until you extradict the murderers.
"The Mexican government is not going to give up one of their nationals to a state that supports the death penalty."
It's not just the death penalty. They also are against life without the possibility of parole
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